Thursday, 16 April 2015

Another year, another bundle of parents not getting first place primary schools. The media love the stories. There is another group of parents of which I was a part of a few years ago - the parents who do not get any of their choices, nada, nienta, nothing. How about them??

Every parent want the best for their children which starts with their education. Parents take the time to visit schools and select ones they feel suit them and their child. They submit their application and hope for the best. The day arrives, the email comes and parents excitedly read it only to discover they have not been given any of their school choices and are given a school not even on their radar!

Parental worry starts here. What to do? Who to turn to? Unfortunately the answer is there is no-one to turn to. So what are your options?

You can appeal to your council. The problem here is that you need a really valid reason to appeal. We personally appealed to a few schools and got rejected still. Appeals only work if there is a valid reason - saying you do not like an area is not seen as valid - you really need to think outside the box. Is the school too far away and you do not have transport? Does your have an undisclosed medical condition meaning you need them to attend a certain school? Really think about your appeal and back it up with evidence.

If the appeal process sounds too daunting then sit on the waiting lists. We ended up sitting on waiting lists and did eventually get a space at one of our preferred schools. You need to be proactive with the lists. Call the council on a regular basis and keep asking where your child is on the list; this keeps you in their minds. Don't ever be rude to the staff there, they are just doing their job and really do not deserve abuse. Remember at the end of the current academic year - so in the summer - the lists get wiped and taken over by the schools themselves so you have to call each school and place your child on their list.

The issue does come down to the fact that not all schools are the same. This is something the UK as a whole need to change. If they want children to attend their local schools, they really need to make those schools good enough!

It is a time for limbo in this circumstance but you need to take control and keep on top of what is happening. Stay on as many lists as you want. Stay calm and collected so you can make the best decisions. It is not the end of the World and it will hopefully all work itself out.

Monday, 16 June 2014

Everyone is different in looks, feeling and thoughts. We accept that to be part of everyday life now. People argue a lot mainly about subjects where 2 sides disagree about an issue. These arguments can escalate and turn nasty if they are not dealt with early on. If it does get out of control, take a step back and ask yourself, 'what are you actually arguing about?'.

You will, more often than not, come up with the notion that both sides have a different take or 'perception' on said issue. Does this mean you should argue? Does it mean one side is right and the other wrong? I do not think so.

Everyone perceives things in a different way. Whether it be because one side has decided they are right and actually they do not like you or whether you have decided that this person annoys you on certain issues, these are all tantermount to your perception before the conversation starts.

We all have our own thoughts. Its what makes us unique. To accept and move on from someone's perception, knowing it is different can and will cause issues unles you just accept them for what they are - an opinion. How do you rectify I hear you ask! It is simple. You have to find a middle ground. From there you can work on the issues.

About Me

I work as a Marketing and Design Consultant. I run a virtual Marketing company called Micca Marketing. We aim to provide a one stop shop of marketing, design and web solutions for local businesses. Working virtually means we can take in clients anywhere and still offer a high level of service.

I also run a company called Tape Copy. Tape Copy take your tapes that you are unable to watch anymore and transfer them onto a digital format that you can use.

I am a mother to 2 gorgeous girls. They light up my days with their infectious smiles and cuddles. I have battled with depression and anxiety over the years. I originally started blogging to open up about mental health and let others going through the same thing realise they are not alone and mental health can affect anyone, anywhere.